Can-filling machine.



J. P. CRANDALL.

CAN FILUNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1912.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

[NVENTOE ATTORNEY A mm ms mum's PETERS c JOHN P. cn DALL. 0F B FFALO, NEW YORK.

CAN-FILLING MACHINE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed February 27, 1912. Serial No. 680,302.

and State of New York,have invented cer-.

tain new and useful Improvements in Can Filling Machines, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The main objects of my invention are: to provide a can filling machine which shall accurately weigh the amount of fluidplaced in a receptacle and which shall automatically shut off the supply of liquid when a predetermined amount of liquid has been filled into said receptacle; to minimize the number of parts of themachine which come in contact with the liquid being handledand to so construct these parts that all guinming or sticking-of the valve parts shall be eliminated; to provide a device which shall be simple in its operation so that it maynot require skill for its manipulation; to pro.- vide a device which shall be easy and cheap to manufacture; and to provide a machine which shall operate on either high or low pressure of liquid with uniform results.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifica-.

tion, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views of which:

Figure l is a side elevation of my com plete machine with a receptacle in place. and the machine set and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with portions of the machine broken away and removed and shows the trigger means. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of thefluid valveof my machine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same taken on line AB of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the dash pot of my machine.

The standard 10,which is providedv with suitable feet 11 forms the main support for my machine. This standard comprises two parts 12 and 13, one of which telescopesinto the other so as to vary the height of the machine. The upper end of the part 12 is split and provided with a lock nut 1 1, which serves to lock the parts in position. v

Carried at the upper end of thestandard 10 is a bearing member 15. This bearing member is provided with a downwardly projecting cylindrical armldbyfl which itis secured to the standard 10. This member has. also a rearwardly projecting bearing arm.17. and supporting arm 18. The supporting arm 18 carriesa-fiuid valve 19 and suitablepipe connections 20 for coupling up themachine to a fluid tank or barrel. The connection piece 20 with valve 19 is preferably secured to the arm 18 by means of the pipe union 21 so that it may be easily and quickly detached if desired.

Slidably carried by the bearing member 15 is a plunger 22 which has at its upper end a screw-threaded nut 23 and a washer 2 1 of some resilient material, preferably leather. This leather washer contacts with the upper surface of the bearing member when the plunger falls and thus relieves the shock. Running centrally through the plunger 22 is a plunger rod 25 which is provided at its upper end with a screw-threaded thumb nut 26 and at its lower end with a return bend portion 27. The return bend portion extends preferably up into the plunger for a short distance thus allowing an upward and downward adjustment of the rod while still keeping the lower end closed as shown. By raising or lowering the plunger rod 25, the size of the effective aperture at. the discharge of the fluid valve may be regulated, thus governing the rate of flow of the fluid.

Rotatably carried by the bearing arm 17 is a trigger arm 28, the shaft part of which extends through said bearing arm and has mounted on the other end thereof an operating lever 29. The outer end of this operating lever is disposed in an indentation or recess 30, provided in the plunger 22 and the said plunger is raised and held raised by reason of this engagement of the said operating lever therewith. At the outer end of the trigger arm is provided an arc-shaped portion 31 which is faced for substantially.

three-quarters the length of its periphery with preferably a hardened steel shoe 32. When the machine is set in the position shown, the trigger plate 34 engages with the inner end of this shoe and thus keeps the plun er elevated. A set screw 35 is provide in the portion 31 of the trigger arm anddisposed so as to bear on the upper edge of the. trigger plate. 3 1 when in the position shown. By the set screw the tripping of the trigger can be accurately time. An adplug 10 and thus prevents the same from justable arm 36 is carried by the bearing arm 17 and extends down substantially below the periphery of the part 31 of the trigger arm and has pivotally disposed at its lower end a trigger rod 37. The trigger plate 3a is adjustably carried by the trigger rod 37 and locked in position by means 7,

of the lock nut 38. The trigger rod is bifurcated at its outer end and carries a weight 39 at its inner end. This weight is such that it counter-balances the weight of the trigger plate 34 and lock nut 38.

The fluid valve 19 is provided with a plug l0 which is provided with a taper seat as shown. At the small end of the plug is a stud 41 made preferably integral with said plug. The said plug is rotatably disposed within a casing 42 and the stud 41 passes through a boss 43 formed at the back of the said casing. A nut 44: is screw-threaded on the outer end of the said stud and serves to keep the plug in place within the casing. The boss 13 is recessed from the interior as shown and may have disposed therein a spiral spring $5. The outer end of this spring bears against the inner face of the becoming stuck or tightly wedged in its seat, thereby making the valve work smoothly and easily. Provided in the valve plug and casing is a. circularly disposed port &6 which enters the nozzle part 47 of the casing at a tangent to substantially a horizontal line and terminates at the lower side of the casing at a tangent to a substantially vertical line, thus making a smooth, clean port without any corners for the fluid to lodge in or to retard the flow of the same. The casing 12 is provided through its side with a slot 48, in which an operating handle 49 is arranged to move. Y This operating handle is screw-threaded into the valve plug 40 and has its outer end disposed within the loop formed by the return bend 27 of the plunger rod Secured to the part 13 of the standard 10 is a clamp arm 50 which carries at its outer end a scale 51. This scale is of the ordinary balancing type and comprises a center stud 52 to which the clamp arm is secured, a scale pan 53, a weight pan 5 1, and suitable leverages, as shown. I have found that, on machines of this class, the valve has a tendency to close too rapidly, thus causing the liquid to squirt and spatter as the valve closes. This I have overcome by providing, a dash pot 55 which is carried by the downwardly extending arm 16 of the bearing member. This dash pot comprises a casing 56 which is screw-threaded at its lower end to a flanged bottom 57, preferably integral with the arm 16. Within this casing 56, near its bottom is a slidable valve seat member 58. Within the casing is a valve rod 59 having a loop 60 formed at its upper end and a stop 62 near its lower end. At the lower end of said valve rod is a valve or piston 61 which fits and seats into the valve seat member 58. The loop 60 at the upper end of the valve rod is arranged over the operating handle 29 of the machine and when the handle is operated the valve or piston 61 is raised or lowered. The casing 56 is filled part way with oil or other suitable fluid and when the valve rod is pulled up the valve and valve seat member are slowly drawn up through the cylinder, thus retarding the action of the plunger and the parts connected therewith. When the machine is being reset, the valve 61 will disengage from its seat in the valve seat member and allow the rod 59 to be pushed down faster than the valve seat member, which member will slowly lower and seat itself on the valve and thus be in position to retard the next upward motion of the said valve. In order that the movement of the scale may trip the trigger, I provide a trip rod 65 which is adjustably carried by the scale pan The upper end of the trip rod is bent at a right angle and extends inwardly, having its inner end en gaging with the bifurcated end of the trigger rod 37.

lVhen it is desired to operate my machine, an empty can or other receptacle 63 is placed upon the scale pan 53 and a weight 64 of the desired size placed upon the weight pan 54. The trip rod 65 will now be raised by the scale pan'53 and when the parts are set in the positions shown in the drawings (the valve 19 being shown open) this rod 65 will keep the trigger plate 34: engaged with the shoe 32. The valve 19 is set in its open position by depressing the handle 29 and then fluid will be emptied into the can 63 from any barrel or tank to which the machine is connected. When the weight of the fluid contained in the can 63 counter-balanees the weight 64, the scale pan 53 will be lowered, and as the trip rod carried thereby is engaged with the bifurcated end of the trigger rod 37, this trip rod will pull the said bifurcated end of the trigger rod downwardly and thus release the shoe 32. As this shoe is released the plunger 22 will fall and move the operating rod 49 of the fluid valve downwardly, thus closing the said valve and shutting off the fluid. The filled can is now removed and replaced by an empty one, whereupon the machine is re-set to the position shown when the operation will be as just described.

In the drawings for convenience I have shown a trip scale, but any type of scale may be used with my filling machine with equal efficiency and still be within the scope of the appended claims.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown anddescribed may be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a normally closed fluid valve carried by said bearing member, an operating lever pivotally carried by said bearing member for opening said valve against its normal tendency to close, means for latching said operating lever when set in a predetermined position and thereby keeping said valve open, and means for automatically tripping said latching means when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve and thereby closing said valve.

2. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a normally closed fluid valve carried by said bearing member, an operating lever pivotally carried by said bearing member for opening said valve against its normal tendency to close, a trigger arm pivotally carried by said bearing member, but rigidly connected to said operating lever, a trigger rod pivotally carried by said member and controlled by said scale, a trigger plate carried by said rod and engageable with said trigger arm, and means controlled by said scale and engageable with said trigger arm, whereby said valve automatically closes when a predetermined amount of fluid is discharged therefrom.

3. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a normally closed fluid valve carried by said bearing member, an operating lever pivotally carried by said bearing member for opening said valve against its normal tendency to close, a trigger arm pivotally carried by said member, but rigidly connected to said operating lever, an adjustable arm carried by said member, a trigger rod pivotally carried by said adjustable arm and controlled by said scale, a trigger plate carried by said rod and engageable with said trigger arm, and means controlled by said scale and engageable with said trigger arm, whereby said valve automatically closes when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged therefrom.

4. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a plunger-controlled, fluid valve carried by said bearing member, an operating lever pivotally carried by said member and engageable with said plunger, a trigger arm pivotally carried by said member, but rigidly connected to said operating lever, a pivotally mounted trigger rod carried by said bearing member, a trigger plate carried by said trigger rod and engageable with said trigger arm, and a trip rod carried by said scale and engageable with said trigger rod, whereby said valve is automatically closed when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged therefrom.

5. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a plunger-controlled, fluid valve carried by said bearing member, an operating lever pivotally carried by said member and engageable with said plunger, a trigger arm pivotally carried by said member, but rigidly connected to said operating lever, a shoe secured to said trigger arm, a pivotally mounted trigger rod having a bifurcated outer end, a weight at the inner end of said trigger rod, a trigger plate carried by said trigger rod and engageable with said trigger arm, and a trip rod carried by said scale and engageable with said trigger rod, where by said valve is automatically closed when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged therefrom.

6. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a normally closed, fluid valve carried by said bearing member, manually actuated means for opening said valve against its normal tendency to close, means for latching said manually actuated means, thereby keeping said valve open, and automatic means for tripping saidlatching means when a predetermined amount of liquid has been discharged from said valve, and retarding means connected with said manually'actuated and automatic means, whereby said valve is retarded in its action while closing.

7. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a normally closed, fluid valve carried by said bearing member, manually actuated means for opening said valve against its normal tendency to close, means for latching said manually actuated means, thereby keeping said valve open, and automatic means for tripping said latch means when a predetermined amount of liquid has been discharged from said valve, and retarding means governing said manually actuated and automatic means, comprising a casing, a valve seat member slidable in said casing, a valve rod disposed within said casing, a valve carried by said valve rod and disposed between said valve seat member and the bottom of said casing, and means connecting said valve rod with said manually actuated and automatic means, whereby said valve is retarded.

8. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a fluid valve comprising a casing supported by said member, and provided with a tapered bore, a tapered plug rotatably disposed within said casing, said casing and said plug being so formed that a circularly disposed port is provided therein, screw-threaded means for holding said plug in place and an operating rod for said plug, manually actuated means carried by said member for opening said valve and automatic means carried by said member and said scale for closing said valve, when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve. 1

9. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a fluid valve comprising a casing supported by said member, provided with a tapered bore, a tapered plug rotatably disposed within said casing and provided with a central projecting stud, a boss provided on said casing, said stud being rotatably disposed within said boss, screw-threaded means for holding said stud in place, spring tension means disposed within a recess in said boss and bearing against said plug, said casing and said plug being so formed that a circularly disposed port is provided therein and an operating rod for said plug, manually actuated means carried by said member for opening said valve and automatic means carried by said member and said scale for closing said valve when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve.

10. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a fluid valve comprising a casing supported by said member and provided with a tapered bore, a tapered plug rotatably disposed within said casing, said casing and said plug being so formed that a circularly disposed port is provided therein, screw-threaded means for holding said plug in place, said casing being provided with a slot in its side, and an operating rod secured in said plug and disposed in said slot, manually actuated means carried by said member for opening said valve and automatic means carried by said member and said scale for closing said valve when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve.

11.. In a can filling machine, the combina tion with a scale, of a bearing member, a fluid valve comprising a casing supported by said member and provided with a tapered bore, a tapered plug rotatably disposed within said casing and provided with a central projecting stud, a boss provided on said casing, said stud being rotatably disposed within said boss, screw-threaded means for holding said stud in place, spring tension means disposed within a recess in said boss and bearing against said plug, said casing and said plug being so formed that a circularly disposed port is provided therein, said casing being provided with a slot in its side and an operating rod secured in said plug and disposed in said slot, manually actuated means carried by said member for opening said valve and automatic means carried by said member and said scale for closing said valve when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve.

12. In a can filling machine, the combination with a scale, of a bearing member, a plunger slidably carried by said member, a stop carried by the upper end of said plunger, a plunger rod, provided at its lower end with a loop, adjustably disposed in said plunger, an adjusting nut screw-threaded to the upper end of said plunger rod, a fluid valve, an operating rod for said valve connected with said loop, manually actuated means for raising said plunger and means for automatically tripping said plunger, whereby the said valve is shut oflf when a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN P. CRANDALL.

Witnesses:

J. WM. ELLIS, WALTER H. KELLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissi ner of Paten'cl.

Washington, .D. G. 

